The Twenty-Fifth Sunday of Ordinary Time presents one of Jesus' more puzzling parables: the shrewd manager. This story challenges us to think about how we use worldly resources in light of eternal realities.
Jesus tells of a rich man whose manager is accused of wasting his possessions. Facing dismissal, the manager acts quickly:
"Calling each one of his lord’s debtors to him, he said to the first, ‘How much do you owe to my lord?’ He said, ‘A hundred batos of oil.’ He said to him, ‘Take your bill, and sit down quickly and write fifty.’" — Luke 16:5-6
The manager reduces the debts owed to his master, presumably to create goodwill that will benefit him when he loses his position.
Surprisingly, the master commends the dishonest manager:
"'His lord commended the dishonest manager because he had done wisely, for the children of this world are, in their own generation, wiser than the children of the light." — Luke 16:8
Jesus is not praising dishonesty but shrewdness—the manager's ability to think ahead and act decisively in light of coming crisis.
Jesus then draws lessons for his disciples:
"He who is faithful in a very little is faithful also in much. He who is dishonest in a very little is also dishonest in much." — Luke 16:10
And the famous conclusion:
"No servant can serve two masters, for either he will hate the one and love the other; or else he will hold to one and despise the other. You aren’t able to serve God and Mammon.'" — Luke 16:13
The Twenty-Fifth Sunday challenges us to be as shrewd about eternal things as worldly people are about temporal things. How are we using our resources—money, time, influence—to prepare for eternity? Are we making friends through our generosity who will welcome us into eternal dwellings? Faithfulness in small things reveals the character that will handle greater things.